Electric furnace.



PATENTED OCT. 16, 1906.

1 au n L. WALDO. ELECTRIC PURNACB.

ArrLIoA'rIox Hun man 23,1996.

Rye.

UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

ELECTRIC FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oet.V 1e, 1906.

.ipiimion mea am 2311905. semi No. 266.544.

To all whom tm/ay concern:-`

Beit known that I, LEONARD WALDo, a

y citizen of the .United States, vresiding in the naces in which a charge is both melted'and' electrolyzed by electrodes in the chargereceiving chamber are known. In the first case there-is no electrolysis; in the second, where the same current both fuses and electrolyzes, there is needless waste of energy, because after the charge becomes liquid the current required for electrolysis is relatively small. Nevertheless, an internal current must be maintained suflicient to keep the mass fluid. There is no way cf divorcing the `heating current from the electrolyzing ycurrent-in such way as that after fluidity is established the heating current can be dispensed with or only-used intermittently as occasion may require. Furnaces which first fuse the charge by fuel and then electrol ze it require constant and careful ring. he

fire under the crucible must also be 'tl-'rept upduring the entire o eration.

I have disco vere y that the difficulties indicated above are completely solved by disposing electrolyzmg electrodes in the chargel receiving chamber of an induction-furnace.

ing perfectly controllable independentl The induced current ma then be used to melt the charge, after W 'ch it may be discontinued. The current between the electrodes need only be sufficient to produce the desired electrolysis. Such heat as it contributes to the fused mass will delay cooling, so that itwill be necessary to establish the inducing-current only intermittently and thenfor no longer than is necessar to keep the charge at the temperature o fluidity. Both electrolyzing and inducing currents be o one another, it is obvious that both the c aracter and uantity of current flowing can always be a justed to the particular needs of the operation'. The resulting economy is large, for, as well known, a considerable portion of the cost of electrolyzing fused substance is due to the consumption of the electrodes, and this is because of the current they are compelled to deliver in order to effect fusion as well as electrolysis.

It is ofcourse obvious that the electrolyzing current may be operated alternately or simultaneously with the inducing current, as

may be desired.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a furnace embodying 'my invention, and Fig.y 2 is a section on the line 6 6 thereof.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the wall of a furnace of any suitable form, but preferably annular, as shown. 2 is the furnace chamber or receptacle to hold the ore, compound, or

nected with means of supplying a direct elecclosed inductance-circuit, with which is.

linked the .magnetic core-circuit 4, whichin turn is linked with the primary alternating circuit 3. The electrodes introducing an electrolyzing circuit 5 and 5 may be adg'ustable or fixed and may be in any part o the furnace chamber. By any suitable means 7 an alternating electric current is passed through the primary windings 3, setting up magnetic lines of force in the magnetic circuit 4, which in turn induce alternating inductances in the secondary circuit or furnace charge 2, thus heating the same. When the charge has become sufficiently fused, an electrolyzing current, if not "already established, is passed between the electrodes 5 and 5 by any suitable means 8.

My invention may be used for a variety of purposes, but is particularly adapted to the reduction and separation of metals from their ores or compounds. If the ores to be treated are sufiiciently affected by the alternate in` ductances in their crude state, they may be melted by the ordinary process of the induc- IOO IOS

tion-furnace and the fused mass electrolyzed A as a ring of metal in the furnace-chamber.

` spective circuits may also be introduced.

` charge.

kThe two currents ma), be controlled independently by any :suitable -meens7 as shown in Fig. 2, such as e rheostet '9 insertedin the direct-current electrode-circuit, and Le vmiriable inductive resistance l() in the alternating-current-inducing circuit. 'lhe usuel circuit-'breaking switches 11 12 inthe re- I claiml \In 'san induction {fumer/e, hevmg a,

ycharge-receiving chamber and an inducingcircuit for melting the charge in said' .chamloer,y VIneens for electrolyzing .said -melted 2. :en ifnductionfumace, having a.

charge-.receiving chamber .end :an inducingcircuit for melting the charge lin seid cham-A ber7 means for electrolyzing seid melted chairgefmeams for veont-rolling the .electmodyzwitnesses.

circuit for melting the charge in said cham-- ber, electrodes disposed in seid chamber.

4. in' an induction-furnace, having a.

charge-receiving chamber and an inducing-- Acircuit for melting the charge, electrodes disposed in said-chajmbenend a source-of direct current 'in smid circuit with said-electrodes.

In witness xivhereof f-I have hereunto signed .my name 'in' the presence -of two subscribing LEONARD WALDO. Witnesses i l "STUART lJi PATTERSON,

SAMUEL M. HAvENs. 

